Myrtle Beach is known for its great live music venues along the Grand Strand as well as its beautiful beaches and ocean. We are compiled a list of venues for live concerts as well as live music that we think you might enjoy. You can join in the fun and dance the night away or just bring a lawn chair and relax while you listen to the live free concerts after a long day of fun in the sun.
Live Free Concerts:
The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Entertainment District between Second Avenue North and 15th Avenue North, Myrtle Beach will be holding free concerts each Monday – Saturday night from June 12 to September 4 on the I Love Sugar Stage in Plyler Park, 1309 N Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach. Genres will run the gamut, including rock, country, jazz, pop, reggae and more. To find out what’s going on in Myrtle Beach tonight as well as Plyler Park lineup, go to myrtlebeachdowntown.com.
North Myrtle Beach offers two different venues for free weekly concerts: The 2018 Sounds of Summer Concert Series located at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex at the Sandhills Bank Amphitheater in the McLeod Seacoast Meadow, 150 Citizens Circle, Little River, South Carolina. You can find the North Myrtle Beach live music calendar at explorenorthmyrtlebeach.com. The other free live music North Myrtle Beach Concert Series is the Music on Main Concert Series located at the Horseshoe: 11 South Ocean Boulevard North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. You can find the lineup of live bands at http://parks.nmb.us/festivalsevents/concerts/music-on-main-concert-series.
The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill, 201 Fantasy Harbour Blvd, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina–
hosts a Sunday Funday each week with a new band during their free Summer Concert Series. The Boathouse has become nationally known for its outdoor summer concert series, which actually runs spring through fall and features A-listers from country, to rock and hip-hop. An optional indoor stage means shows are rain or shine. The event brings in some of the biggest names in the industry. Bring your blanket or pull up your boat to watch from the water. To find out who is playing each week, go to www.myrtlebeach.com/myrtle-beach-events/free-summer-concerts-in-myrtle-beach
Live Music Venues:
Murrells Inlet Marshwalk, 4025 Hwy 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina—Based on the website, the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk is the undisputed king of Grand Strand live music because there is not just one club, but over half a dozen venues along the waterfront that offer live music. The Dead Dog Saloon offers live music nearly 7-nights per week covering all genres from soloists to country, funk, and old school classic rock and roll. The Dead Dog is one of the many outstanding live music locations within walking distance from one another located on the Marshwalk. Others to enjoy are Drunken Jack’s, Bubba’s Love Shack, Creek Ratz, Wahoo’s Fish House, The Wicked Tuna, The Claw House and Catfish Johnny’s.
Bourbon Street, 5307 North Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina– This smaller venue features acts of many genres including open mic acoustic guitar nights to large rock, country and alternative acts. A local’s hangout, Bourbon Street is a neighborhood pub with a focus on quality live music, four to six nights per week. Also, a plus, is that right next door is Pine Lakes Tavern, another popular neighborhood bar that offers live music utilizing local and regional talent. You’ll find many patrons that travel back and forth in the course of an evening to catch two or more bands.
House of Blues, 4640 Highway 17 South., North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina– This internationally known venue has been entertaining crowds at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach since its opening in 1997. The HOB showcases the hit-makers of every genre in the concert hall, and the outdoor stage and bar called The Deck,” offers the best live music available from local, regional and national acts.
Pirates Cove, 205 Main Street, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina–Pirate’s Cove specializes in reggae, and alternative rock, often showcasing the best local, regional and occasional national acts. The musical selection is a wide range of everything from Rock and Reggae to Country, Classic Rock and Hip-Hop. You’ll find a rotation of local favorites throughout the week, with some larger shows featuring regional and national acts on stage from time to time as well as an outdoor, rooftop venue featuring soloists in season.
Hot Fish Club, 4911 Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina—Enjoy a live music gazebo out back along the waterfront with live rock, country, alternative and funk bands from around the Southeast. Located in the oldest existing restaurant building on the Grand Strand, Hot Fish has a rich history that dates back to the 18th Century. The Hot Fish Club originally formed on a nearby island as a social club for members who were dedicated to gourmet food, stiff drinks, and jovial times among friends. The original club dissolved just after the Civil War, but the restaurant continues the culinary tradition with fresh local seafood and produce. After dinner, head out to the gazebo bar for a drink and stick around to hear one of the bands that play Wednesday through Sunday nights beginning at 9 p.m. This area is one of the coolest spots to watch live music in Myrtle Beach, with a ramshackle stage giving way to a large dancefloor, and a pair of wooden bars. There’s also an outdoor patio with gorgeous views of the salt marsh and a huge yard — complete with a small playground for the kids — which hosts special events throughout the year and large bonfires on chilly evenings.
Pawleys Island Tavern, 10635 Ocean Hwy., Pawleys Island, South Carolina– Nicknamed “The Pit” this local’s hideaway offers indoor/outdoor live music year-round focusing on variety and plenty of college-friendly bands. Pawleys Island Tavern is a local’s favorite and has long been considered one of the best hangouts on the south end of the Grand Strand. This hidden gem is situated just off the main drag of U.S. 17 in Pawleys Island, but thanks to signage regulations designed to keep the area quaint, the only thing you’ll see from the street is a non-descript mailbox to guide you in.
The Boathouse, located on the waterway at 201 Fantasy Harbour Blvd, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina–Off-season check out live country music on Nashville Nights. As one of the premier spots for live music in Myrtle Beach, The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill is a restaurant, bar and nightlife hub known as “The Best Backyard In Town.” This popular gathering spot hosts shows & concerts several days each week, including a long-running Friday night series of up-and-coming country musicians and the locally famous Backyard Summer Concert Series which brings in acts of all genres to its waterfront stage each Sunday from April through September.
The Bowery, 110 9th Avenue North, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina– The oldest continually operating bar on the Grand Strand, The Bowery Myrtle Beach was the birthplace of country music supergroup Alabama, which got its start in there in the 1970s as the house band for The Bowery. Carrying on that tradition, the iconic Bowery offers live country music six to seven nights per week. This longtime honky-tonk bar is a country music mecca and an icon of the area’s entertainment scene. These days the bar is a must-visit for those wanting a taste of the old Myrtle Beach or visitors looking for great live music and good times. This classic 1940s honky-tonk takes you back to another era of Myrtle Beach, the one that earned and embraces the Redneck Riviera moniker.
Ocean Annie’s Beach Bar, 9550 Shore Dr, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina– For more than 30 years, this oceanfront hangout has been a hub of good vibes and live music on the beach. Throughout the summer you’ll find some of the area’s best cover bands performing on the patio day and night and there’s always a lively crowd ready to dance along to their favorite tunes. With a great atmosphere for fun, you won’t find many better places to enjoy some tunes and take in the beach scenery.
Fat Harold’s Beach Club, 212 Main Street, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina– Fat Harold’s is more than just another beach-music dance club. It’s a living testament to another time in Ocean Drive, and this North Myrtle Beach institution keeps it alive today. Generations of teenagers flocked to North Myrtle Beach to shag and swing to the tunes. Today, those same kids return to take a stroll down memory lane during SOS events. And their children and grandchildren check out the scene to see the place their elders have talked about. It truly is a legendary establishment that transcends generations and keeps the spirit of the dance and beach lifestyle alive. This venue/museum of beach music is the lifework of Harold Bessent, aka the King of the Shag and The Fat Man, who is one of two men that are responsible for making the Shag “South Carolina’s State Dance”. Live beach music plays on a regular basis and the dance floor is always open as long as someone has enough quarters to fill the juke box.
Duck’s Night Life, Bar and Grill, 229 &231 Main Street, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina—has been a long-time North Myrtle Beach favorite and tradition on the Grand Strand. It is also one of the main Shag venue’s during SOS. It has live entertainment every week, the hottest bands, shag events and DJ’s.
Now that you have a list of some of the best venues for both live music and free concerts according to the locals as well as the tourists that visit our beaches, we hope that you will try some of them out. The genres are varied, and the venues are fun. Enjoy yourself and be safe!
